Cape Coral-Fort Myers Fort Collins-Loveland

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 102.3 → 101.1
Rent Delta: -$229/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $229/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + $9K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - More expensive childcare
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Cape Coral-Fort Myers to Fort Collins-Loveland shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 102.3 to 101.1 (100 = US average), so a Cape Coral-Fort Myers salary needs to be multiplied by 0.99 to hold the same purchasing power in Fort Collins-Loveland. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,961/month in Cape Coral-Fort Myers to $1,732/month in Fort Collins-Loveland - a lower monthly bill of $229, or $2,748/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $64,691 in Cape Coral-Fort Myers versus $73,292 in Fort Collins-Loveland - a raw gap of $8,601 higher. The Fort Collins-Loveland labor market has 149,520 tracked jobs against 293,750 in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Cape Coral-Fort Myers and Fort Collins-Loveland are 210 and 481 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 17.8:1 at origin versus 16.6:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $10,505/year in Cape Coral-Fort Myers versus $12,821/year in Fort Collins-Loveland. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Cape Coral-Fort Myers
Fort Collins-Loveland
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 102.3
RPP 101.1
Fort Collins-Loveland
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,961/mo
$1,732/mo
Fort Collins-Loveland
💼 Wages
$64,691
$73,292
Fort Collins-Loveland
🔒 Crime
210 per 100K
481 per 100K
Cape Coral-Fort Myers
🎓 Schools
17.8:1
16.6:1
Fort Collins-Loveland
👶 Childcare
$10,505/yr
$12,821/yr
Cape Coral-Fort Myers
🌿 Environment
2676 violations
5332 violations
Cape Coral-Fort Myers

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Cape Coral-Fort Myers to see what you'd need to earn in Fort Collins-Loveland to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Fort Collins-Loveland
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fort Collins-Loveland more expensive than Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
Fort Collins-Loveland has an RPP of 101.1 compared to Cape Coral-Fort Myers's 102.3 (100 = national average). Cape Coral-Fort Myers is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Fort Collins-Loveland is $1,732/mo vs $1,961/mo in Cape Coral-Fort Myers.
What are salaries like in Fort Collins-Loveland compared to Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
The median salary in Fort Collins-Loveland is $73,292 compared to $64,691 in Cape Coral-Fort Myers. That's a +$8,601 difference.
Is Fort Collins-Loveland safer than Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
The violent crime rate near Fort Collins-Loveland is 481 per 100K vs 210 per 100K near Cape Coral-Fort Myers (state-level data). Cape Coral-Fort Myers has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Fort Collins-Loveland to match my Cape Coral-Fort Myers salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Cape Coral-Fort Myers salary by 0.99. For example, a $75,000 salary in Cape Coral-Fort Myers would need to be $74,105 in Fort Collins-Loveland. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)